June 16, 1955 – March 2, 2026
William “Bill” Allen Batchelder, a longtime resident of Lawrence, passed away on Monday, March 2, 2026. He was 70 years of age.
Born in Winchester and raised in Reading, he was the son of the late Marguerite L. (Donahue) Batchelder and the late Robert M. Batchelder, Sr.
Bill is survived by his two beloved daughters, who brought so much joy to his life: Lieutenant Junior Grade (USCG) Jordan Day of Miami, FL, and Meghan Day of Delray Beach, FL; and his sister, Martha Bilodeau, and her husband, John, of Palm Beach Gardens, FL. He is also survived by his two nieces, Jennifer Morgan and her husband Michael of Palm Beach Gardens, FL, and Jill Dillon and her husband John of Westport, CT; and four great nieces and nephews, Ned & Eric Morgan, and Cecelia Marguerite & Lydia Dillon.
Bill retired in 2017 after a long career at Raytheon and a part-time job at Andover Liquors to do what he really loved—golf. He played as often as he could and worked part-time at Far Corner Golf Course in Boxford. Rarely seen in the wild without his signature baseball cap, you could find Bill on the links, working in his yard, helping his neighbors, or feeding the birds. He had a wicked sense of humor right up to the end. Bill also had an uncanny ability to pick winning scratch lottery tickets, much to the delight of those who received them as Christmas gifts.
A funeral service will be held at the Douglass, Edgerley & Bessom Funeral Home, 25 Sanborn St., Reading, MA, on Thursday, March 12, 2026, at 11:00 am. Visitation will be prior to the service from 10:00-11:00 am. Burial will follow at the Forest Glen Cemetery in Reading, MA.
In lieu of flowers, put up a birdfeeder in your yard and think of Bill when the birds come to visit.
For directions and online guestbook, visit www.douglassfuneralhome.com
